October 24th

An event scheduled to honor those who had participated in the Adult Fitness Program for 20 years or more was held last week, and senior citizens and the community were reminded once again of how important exercise and a healthy diet is to longevity.
Lanie Dornier, chair of the health and exercise science department at Tech, which sponsors the program, emphasized the important of a lifelong commitment to exercise, to which the seniors at the program were dedicated.

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However, it’s not just holiday festivities that I’m excited about.
Today is the SONICFLOOd concert. For those who don’t know, SONICFLOOd sings a lot of the praise and worship songs you’ve probably heard: “Here I Am to Worship,” “Famous One,” “I Lift My Eyes Up” and “Open the Eyes of My Heart.” They are going to be performing at 7 p.m. at Temple Baptist Church, and tickets will be sold at the door.

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“Kyna Steward said she had left her son with her mother when she went to work at about 5:30 p.m. Saturday. She also told officers her mother had medical problems.”
Hermes said at approximately 8:30 a.m., Celestine Stewart was located standing in a ditch near the intersection of Mt. Pisgah Road and Tennessee Avenue — without the child.
“At that point it became an all-hands-on-deck situation,” Hermes said. “We had people from the fire department, sheriff’s office, police department and the helicopter from Pafford Ambulance looking for the baby.”

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October 23rd

“Our players really responded,” said head coach Billy Laird.
“Offensively, defensively and special teams, we had a good night of just overall football and something like this should really give our team confidence going into our next game.”
That game is a regular season home finale on Friday against Shreveport Southwood, another 1-5A test that will preclude a Nov. 3 closer on the road against No. 1 Class 5-A ranked West Monroe.
While Ruston High was taking the sting out of the Yellow Jackets, Cedar Creek was corralling the Bears of Bernice at the latter school’s home turf.

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Every year, more and more victims — women, children and men — find themselves in abusive relationships.
The answer might seem easy — just leave the relationship and report the abuser to police. But those who are actually in the relationships will tell you the answer is not that simple.
Many people who find themselves in abusive relationships have no place to turn.
Because they have been isolated by their abuser from outside relationships, there is no one to turn to or confide in when the abuse becomes unbearable.
For these victims, life seems hopeless.

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Many of us will spin in circles looking for someone else at whom to point the finger.
I have some examples.
I have a relative with two 6-year-old children who can’t read along with their classmates.
These are bright children who are willing to learn new things. Both are imaginative and love to jump, run and play.
So, whose fault is it that they don’t understand written words?
“I just don’t have time to read to them,” my relative tells me. She then mentions something about the teachers at the school not teaching them “right.”

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In fact, all of the stories that are featured in the “Beating Hearts” exhibit and poster series are based on real survivors.
“When we’ve exhibited the pieces, people have written in the comment book ‘Why did you have to have him board up the window?’” Autrey, who writes the stories, said.

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The best way we can assist local law enforcement efforts is by making it tough on the criminals. The aforementioned report states prevention measures are the key to lowering the crime rate.
The report does not recommend a return to the old west days in which everyone walked around with a gun on their hip for protection. It does offer simple things to do to help avoid becoming a victim of personal property crime:
•Ask police to increase patrols of your neighborhood;
• Sponsor a neighborhood crime watch program;
• Make sure your doors have strong deadbolt locks;

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I know that I’ve probably just alienated every soldier, sailor and airman who happens to read this discourse. But I beg your indulgence; let me explain.
On Wednesday, Lincoln Parish watched as one of its own — Marine Lance Cpl. Jon Eric Bowman — was laid to rest. Bowman, just 21 years of age, was killed by a roadside bomb as he patrolled in Iraq. The 2004 graduate of Summerfield High School left a wife, mom and dad, step-mother and step-father, two sisters, a brother, and a host of other family members and friends to mourn his passing.

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